Only a few moments earlier, while the rest of the survivors celebrated, Max had remained unusually quiet. His attention never left the glowing system windows floating before him. Every notification reminded him of everything he had survived during the last three days. More importantly, they showed how much stronger he had become after enduring the Mech Siege. He quietly opened his status window. [ Name: Max Title: Survivor, Pioneer, Siege Breaker Level: 9 Health: 710/710 Spirit: 156/156 Physique Rating: D- Talent: Infinite Cache (SSS) Active Skills: None Passive Skills: Keen Sense Lv0, Bio Adaptive Constitution Lv0 Skill Point: 9 ] Max carefully studied every number. Compared to his earlier levels, the increase was becoming more noticeable. From Level 7 onward, each level now granted twenty additional Health Points instead of the previous amount. His Spirit also continued increasing by two points every level. It wasn’t a massive improvement on paper,

If they chose to remain in The Ark, the path ahead was obvious. They would spend the coming weeks repairing collapsed tunnels, replacing damaged supports, reinforcing cracked walls, and rebuilding every defensive structure that had been destroyed during the Mech Siege. It could be done. But it would consume enormous amounts of time and resources. Even worse, they would be doing all of that while exposed. If the Mechanical Army resumed its patrols sooner than expected, or another group of survivors discovered their weakened shelter, they could find themselves fighting another battle before they had fully recovered. Leaving carried its own risks. Beyond the ruined shelter lay unfamiliar territory. They had no maps. No guarantee of finding another suitable location. No idea what dangers waited outside. Still, a fresh start might ultimately prove far more valuable than clinging to a place that had already reached its limits. Max slowly let out a breath. Dozens of

The team crouched behind a line of weathered rocks overlooking the A.I. Army’s compound. From that distance, they could already hear machinery operating somewhere inside the old mining site. Metal clanged against metal, and the steady hum of electricity drifted across the quiet landscape. None of them paid attention to the warehouse. Their eyes remained fixed on the squat building standing near the eastern edge of the compound. The generator. Max took a slow breath before looking toward Xander. “That’s our target. Once it’s gone, the Reapers won’t last long without power.” Xander adjusted the plasma rifle resting against his shoulder. At the moment, it was the most valuable weapon they possessed. Nothing else in their arsenal had enough firepower to seriously damage either the generator or the Reapers protecting it. “Three shots each. That’s all we’ve got. We’ll have to make them count,” Xander said quietly. His Sharpshooter’s Focus Talent made him the obvious cho

Aya’s warning came at the perfect moment.“Get down!”Everyone reacted instantly.A blazing plasma bolt screamed through the tunnel just above their heads before slamming into the sewer wall.Boom!The entire passage shook violently as the explosion blasted chunks of concrete into the air. Dust rolled through the tunnel, reducing visibility almost immediately.As the cloud settled, several dark figures slowly emerged from the haze.Seven Reapers.They had been waiting inside the sewer.“They weren’t here before…”“How did they even get here?!”“Shit… Our plasma rifles are gone…”Panic spread through the group.The Reapers raised their weapons in perfect synchronization, their glowing optics locking onto every member of Max’s team.Max reacted first.He threw a smoke grenade straight ahead.The canister burst open almost immediately, filling the narrow tunnel with thick smoke.It should have bought them enough time to retreat deeper into the sewer.Instead, the Reapers fired without he

Before long, Max’s group confirmed that the enemy had finally stopped pursuing them. The Reapers were nowhere in sight. The Hounds had also disappeared. Whether the machines had abandoned the chase or simply lost their trail, none of them intended to find out. Using the darkness to their advantage, the group quietly made their way through the ruined streets. The night-vision goggles from the Stealth Caches turned what should have been an impossible journey into a relatively safe one. Even in near-total darkness, broken roads, collapsed buildings, and abandoned vehicles remained clearly visible. Frank couldn’t stop looking around in amazement. “This device is so cool. Why did I even select Weapons Cache?” Although the goggles felt awkward on his face, he had already started getting used to them. Ryan smiled without taking his eyes off the road ahead. “Weapons Cache is actually the best option. It can protect from both Survivors and Mechanical Soldiers to some extent.”